“You missed!” Lex somersaulted over her laughing.
“You’re such a jerk!” Frowning she stuck out her tongue.
“Oh come on you’re just jealous you haven’t gotten your Gift yet.” He jumped again twisting in the air, landing back twenty feet from where he started.
Her fists still clenched Jacky turned her head. “I hate you.” She growled at him and stomped away.
“Jacky….wait!” He called after her but she didn’t stop.
The Gift. A special talent or power that develops around the age of sixteen. Everyone gets one. It can be small, like being able to cook any dish just by tasting it once. It can be scary, like the ability to project horrible images into someone else’s mind. It can be useful, like the gift of fighting; or completely useless, like being able to turn your hair blue. In Sway, my home… everyone develops this…everyone that is, except me. I turned nineteen last week and have yet to develop my Gift.
Passing by a group of young people being sorted, she turned her head willing herself not to cry.
“Jacks!”
“What do you want?” She asked Luke as he ran to her.
“I just saw you and wanted to know if you were alright?” She grimaced. Luke was a telepath, if he wanted to he could read her mind and know exactly what was wrong. But the one thing she liked about him was that he never flaunted his Gift in front of her. He actually went out of his way not to use it just to make her feel better.
“Lex is being a jerk again. Ever since he got his Gift all he does is taunt me.”
“I’m sure you’ll….”
“No!“ She interrupted. “I won’t. You and I both know I won’t develop. I’m a freak.”
“Hey.” Luke said coming in front of her. “You realize of course you’re calling my best friend a freak. I might have to fight for her honor.”
Shaking her head she sighed. “I’m sorry…I guess I’m feeling sorry for myself today. Hey, wanna go to my Oma’s? I bet she’s got some of her pie left from yesterday.”
Rubbing the back of his neck under his long black hair he frowned. “Sorry. I’m expected in the king’s court tomorrow night. I‘m leaving soon to travel there.”
“Oh, yeah I forgot.” After a bit she put on a big smile. “I heard you’re the most talented telepath in Sway. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks….I might be staying if the Headmaster decides I’m to be a Black Born. So I’m not sure if I’ll see you again any time soon.”
She waved her hand absently. “Oh…don’t worry. You know me I’ll be fine. You go and do your best.” He bent down giving her a small kiss on the cheek.
“Goodbye Jacks.” He turned and walked away.
I watched him go. I knew he wasn’t coming back by the way he walked. His long brown coat hung heavy on his wide shoulders. Each step he took made me feel even more alone. I remember running to the river so I could cry. I’d lost my best friend. Luke was the only one who treated me like I wasn’t a freak. Even my parents looked at me like they were wondering what they did wrong to have a child like me.
In Sway your status in life is based on your Gift. Since I didn’t have one…. at the age of twenty I was sent to a work house. There I was trained to be a servant. Even there I was different. All the other servants had gifts. Even though they were useless or made them perfect for service. I was the only one there who had no Gift. No one talked to me except for whispers behind my back. I was allowed to send letters to my parents which I did daily. Luke was set to become a Black Born, the king’s personal enforcers. They were feared and respected, it was the Black Born who prevented war with other nations. It was also the Black Born who were sent if you angered the king or to root out traitors.
